


voices at the end of the line

by lauraxtennant



Series: Multi-Doctor Collection [2]
Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Humor, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-25
Updated: 2016-01-25
Packaged: 2018-05-16 05:39:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,167
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5816284
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lauraxtennant/pseuds/lauraxtennant
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rose Tyler and the Doctor aren't together 24/7. So, like ordinary people do rather often, they sometimes have to resort to leaving voicemails to get their messages to one another across.</p>
            </blockquote>





	voices at the end of the line

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the prompt 'voicemail' from whatwecanfic on tumblr - thanks!

i.

After an evening in with Jackie, watching _Eastenders_ with one eye and the clock with the other, Rose got ready for bed in a rush, eager to sleep so that morning would arrive more quickly.

She was sleeping in her old bed, in her mum’s flat, because Jackie had insisted on some mother-daughter time, without the Doctor hovering around. Rose felt guilty about leaving her on her own for weeks on end, so she conceded to her mother’s request - well, demand - and tried not to look too impatient about it.

The Doctor didn’t bat an eyelid when she’d told him, earlier this afternoon; just said that she’d want to be back at the TARDIS by ten the next morning, ‘cos he had somewhere fantastic to show her. He’d grinned at her like he had a secret, and Rose had to press her hand to her stomach to quell the butterflies it gave her. His excitement fuelled hers, and vice versa, and they’d stood there for several moments, just grinning at each other.

It had only been a few months since she’d boarded the TARDIS. She was well on the way to feeling so at home there that she’d almost forgotten what her childhood - and teenage - well, and early adulthood - bedroom looked like.

As she slipped into bed, Rose glanced at her bedside table, double-checking she’d set her alarm clock. She was never very good at getting up on time without it. Course, on the TARDIS, she didn’t need a clock as such; the Doctor came knocking in the morning, usually sticking his head around her doorframe with promises of far-off worlds, and that was that: she was wide awake. 

She caught sight of her mobile, which she’d left there a few hours back, and picked it up. Four missed calls, all from the TARDIS. A spike of panic went through her, and she hurriedly dialed the number to hear her voicemail messages, hoping the Doctor was okay. He’d’ve come up to the flat, though, if it had been an emergency, right? Course he would. He’d probably just forgotten to buy some milk or something, wanted her to get some before going home tomorrow -

_You have four new messages. Message one:_

_“You’ve probably got stuck right into Jackie’s famously under-seasoned shepherd’s pie by now, but just wanted to check in. So, er. This is me, checking in.”_

Rose smiled at the Doctor’s voice in her ear.

_Message two:_

_“Don’t really know why I rang, before. Sorry. Have fun. Let me know which one in the Queen Vic’s probably an alien this week. Bye for now.”_

She chuckled, and pressed the button for the next message.

_“Here, don’t suppose you can pinch some of Jackie’s semi-skimmed, could you? We’ve run out. Sneak it into your coat pocket. Wait - did I make them bigger on the inside yet? Remind me tomorrow, before we go out. Good at making things bigger on the inside, me. Er - dunno if that sounded - anyway, got tinkering to do. See you tomorrow.”_

He was so daft. That he’d rung her up just to talk about trivial stuff, it made her feel - she - he was so -

_Message four:_

_“Thought you might be in suspense, about our trip tomorrow. If you’re not, you should be. You’re gonna love Sorsha Three, Rose. There’s this castle with a marketplace in the centre of the grounds, selling all sorts of crystals and things - not my cuppa tea but I’m sure you’ll find some clutter there that your mum’d like - Jackie strikes me as the sort to buy into all that mumbo jumbo. But that’s not why we’re going there. There’s a - no, I’ll keep it a surprise. I’ll - oh, the phone’s beeping, does that mean there’s no more time left -”_

Laughing, Rose dialed the TARDIS. He picked up after a couple of rings, and she wondered if he’d been sitting in the console room all this time, waiting for her to call back. 

“You could’ve come with me tonight, you know,” she said, by way of greeting.

“Nah, Jackie wanted to see you, not me. Besides, I don’t do domestic.”

“Sure.”

“Did you have a nice evening?”

“Mmhmm. In bed now - excited for tomorrow. What were you going on about, castles and crystals?”

She heard him chuckle uncertainly. “I dunno. Just felt like talking to you, but didn’t want to give the trip away completely. I shouldn’t have rung, really, don’t know why I - ”

“I have only been gone for like, seven hours,” she teased, biting her lip.

“It was quiet in here. Used to you babbling in my ear every second of the day.”

“Oi!”

“Didn’t mean it as an insult!” he retorted. He paused, and she could hear the smirk in his voice when he continued, “Though you do go on a bit.”

“Watch it, or I might not come with you to the fairytale planet you’ve got lined up for me tomorrow.”

“Fairytale planet?” he scoffed. “Just because there’s a castle in the clouds - ”

Rose gasped. “In the _clouds?”_

“Anyway, you wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

She softened. “You’re right,” she said quietly. “I wouldn’t.”

“Good, then.”

“Yeah.”

“Right. I should go - you should sleep.”

“You got more tinkering to do?”

“A bit.”

“Okay. Night, Doctor.”

“Goodnight, Rose. Sleep tight.”

He hung up. Rose reached over to her bedside lamp, switching it off, and hugged her phone to her chest, beaming up at the ceiling in the dark.

ii.

The Doctor was polishing the console when he noticed a flashing light coming from the phone cradle. Leaning over, he realised he’d accidentally muted the phone in his zealous cleaning, so he jabbed at a button with his forefinger, and Rose’s voice filled the air. A smile came to his face immediately.

She was on a night out with Shareen and Keisha and some other people she’d told him about, all of whom he’d forgotten, because halfway through her sentence she’d stepped out from behind her bathroom door and made his eyes widen and his mind grind to a halt. 

How a human could go out on a winter’s evening wearing so little without freezing to death, he’d never understand, but at least Rose’s slurring words proved she was still alive and well - if tipsy.

_“Oh, it’s the answering machine. Hi TARDIS!”_

She paused to giggle, and the Doctor set down his duster and leant against the console to listen to her.

_“Um, forgotten why I rang already. Oh wait! Yes! It’s ‘cos Shareen right, she said - and you’re gonna love this - she said that you should’ve come out dancing with us tonight! Hahaha. And I said, you wouldn’t, you don’t do that, except that one time - why did we only dance that one time again? Anyway she said she’d loved to see you in a club, and that just - I mean, as if, yeah? As if you would. But it got me thinking, you’re nine hundred and something, you must’ve been to a nightclub before, at least once. Right? Or maybe a lot, I dunno if you guys did that on the Time Lord planet - sorry, Gallif - Galli- Gallifrey?”_

Hearing Rose stutter out his planet’s name in her inebriated state possibly shouldn’t have warmed his hearts as much as it did, especially given the trivial matter to which she was referring, but, somehow - it did.

_“God, I’m drunk. Can you tell? I shouldn’t have had that last vodka coke, but Keisha told me to down it and I can never resist a dare, as you well know. Oh god, I feel a bit sick actually.”_

The Doctor stood up straight at that, and briskly walked over to the coral strut he’d tossed his coat over, pulling it on. 

_“Anyway, just phoning to say it’s 3am and I’m a bit woozy but it’s okay ‘cos Darren said I could stay the night at him and his sister’s, so. Gonna go there for a kip. And maybe some pizza. I could murder a Hawaiian right now. A Hawaiian pizza, I mean! Blimey I must sound so daft. Sorry! See you tomorrow, Doctor.”_

At the mention of a fellow called Darren, the Doctor stopped still, racking his brain to figure out where he’d heard that name before.

Oh! Rose had told him about Darren asking her out once, but she’d said no, it being just after the Jimmy fiasco but prior to getting together with Mickey.

The Doctor sniffed. That wasn’t important though, right? Darren was her friend. Her mate. He was just looking out for her.

Hm.

He rang Rose back, just to check she was all right. 

“Oh hi Doctor!” she answered, sounding very happy, which made the Doctor just a tiny bit smug. 

He adjusted his tie with his free hand. “I got your message. You sound like you’re having fun,” he said, and he couldn’t help but smile as she nattered on at him again about her evening.

He interjected after a few of her slurred, but charming, sentences. “- So, er, are you at Darren’s, now?”

“Actually we haven’t got there yet, we’ve gone for a kebab. It’s disgusting. I wanted pizza, but I was outvoted. It’s the greatest injustice I’ve seen all year.”

“I’m sure it is,” he replied, chuckling. “Are Shareen and Keisha still there?”

“Checking they’re looking after me?”

“Mmm.”

“More like me looking after them! Did you know that I’ve always been able to hold my drink better, Doctor - ”

“Of course you have. Mind if I pop along to see you?”

“I would love that,” she gushed.

His eyebrows lifted. “Really? Or are you being sarcastic?”

“Why would I be sarcastic?”

“I might…cramp your style. Or something.”

“Come see me, Doctor. I missed you tonight.”

The Doctor shifted, smiling into the receiver as he leant against the console again, eager to prolong this conversation now that it had gone down this avenue. “You did?”

“Yeah. This lot are great and all that, but - oi, shut it! Sorry, they were just teasing me, heard me say that I love - that I - what was I saying?”

The Doctor’s pulse rate quickened. “You were saying that you missed me. A lot, I believe.”

“Come see me, then? I’ll give you the rest of my kebab, if you want.”

He chuckled. “I don’t need an incentive, Rose.”

“Okay.” 

He knew she was smiling as she gave him some rough directions to the kebab shop, and he knew his grin matched hers, and he knew that he absolutely loved it.

“Got it. I’ll see you soon.”

“Not if I see you first.”

iii.

_“Rose, I’ll have you know that I did meet the Empress of New Caxdilia, and she complimented me on my exemplary architectural knowledge; I practically designed her entire palace, actually, and - bugger, the phone’s beeping at me - just know that whatever that investigator fellow has told you about me being an imposter: he’s lying. I just had a different face back then, no big deal. Not that you’d believe him over me anyway, but just thought I’d mention. Er, the prison guard’s waving at me; he looks a bit cross - better go. Please come and rescue me at your earliest convenience. Ta! Oh, and Rose - don’t step on the -”_

_Call disconnected. End of message._

Rose heaved a sigh. She would bet the entirety of her inconsiderable savings that she knew how he would’ve ended that sentence, if he hadn’t been cut off.

She knew this because she’d accidentally stepped on an orange mushroom-looking thing earlier, and it had squirted blue goo at her, staining her clothes and parts of her skin.

It was all the Doctor’s fault; he’d been boasting about being a revered guest of this place, and when they got turned away at the door of the party - a guard not being fooled by his psychic paper for once - he’d gone and caused a fuss. And so here they were: him in a prison cell for causing a disturbance and pretending to be a high-ranking official, and Rose in the foyer of the jail, listening to his message as she queued up to bail him out. She’d missed his call earlier thanks to getting doused in blue ink, so his aborted warning about the mushroom plant whatsits would’ve been futile anyway.

She just couldn’t wait to get home and into the nice big bubble bath she hoped the TARDIS would have waiting for her.

After speaking with an official and delivering the bail money required - which actually wasn’t money but four Caxdilian Moebrushes, which to Rose looked like parrots - she was allowed in to collect the Doctor.

He burst out laughing as soon he saw her, and she turned around to go back out again.

“No, wait, Rose, sorry!” 

She turned to face him again, eyebrows raised. 

He smiled at her sheepishly. “Sorry, didn’t mean to laugh. It’s just, you do look a little Smurf-like…”

Taking a step backwards, just to tease him a bit, she watched his face fall into the picture of contrition.

“No, really, I am sorry. For getting us into this mess, too. Guess I couldn’t take the hit to my pride.” He sniffed, and tugged down on his jacket hem.

“Typical bloke,” she agreed, nodding.

He looked solemn. “Come here a sec?”

She closed the distance between them, coming to stand before his cell. He reached for her hand through the bars, and her lips twitched.

“Was that a smile?” he asked, sounding delighted.

“No.”

He let out a giggle. “Yes it is.”

“Nope.”

“You’re so stubborn.”

“Says you!” Rose snorted. She squeezed his hand. “Come on, let’s get you out of here.”

“You got the Moebrushes already?” he asked, sounding impressed.

“Yeah. Had to barter your coat for them with someone at the inn we stayed at, but - ”

He let go of her hand, eyes wide, looking distraught.

“I’m only joking,” she said, and the relief he felt was evident by his happy sigh. “It’s with your sonic and the psychic paper; they said they’ll give them back when we sign you out.”

“How did you get them really?” he asked, as a guard unlocked his cell.

“Climbed up a tree.”

The Doctor whistled. “Impressive.”

“Aren’t I just.” Now that he was free from behind bars, she took his hand again, and they strolled out together, retrieving his belongings and nodding obediently when the officials told him he wasn’t allowed to leave the country before his trial.

They then of course legged it back to the TARDIS and flew her into the vortex together quite successfully.

“You’re getting good at this,” he remarked to her, referring to her help with the controls.

“That’s the second compliment you’ve given me today,” Rose said, grinning.

“It’s ‘cos you’re all blue, thought you needed perking up.” He elbowed her. “Eh? Eh? Get it? All blue - ‘cos you’re - ”

“Yeah, I get it,” Rose laughed, patting his arm. “I’m gonna have a bath.”

“Wash your blues away,” he said, nodding. “Good idea.”

She paused at the entrance to the hallway. It was still new, the, er, newest thing they had been doing together lately, so she was a bit nervous about voicing her suggestion, but - “You can come help, if you want.”

“Rose Tyler, I’d be delighted.”

iv.

There was nothing left for him to try. He’d exhausted all the options. Maybe if his people were still around - 

The Doctor slumped down onto the jumpseat, head in his hands. He let himself wallow for a few moments, then stood up again, rubbing at his tired eyes, convinced there had to be some other way. He couldn’t give up yet - not yet. Not when seeing Rose Tyler again was the mission in question.

A small, flashing light in his peripheral vision caught his attention. He moved towards it, hitting the button on his answering machine without much thought, as his eyes turned to the coordinates on the console screen.

He froze as the voice reached his ears.

Rose.

 _“Doctor, I’m leaving you this message in case you get back to the TARDIS before I next see you and wonder where I am. I’m having a wander ‘round, thought it’d be good to have a snoop while you look after Mum,”_ Rose said, and here she laughed, and his eyes glistened, _“God, can’t wait to hear what she’s been like, filling in for me. Anyway - ”_ Her voice lowered to a whisper. _“I’m down in the basement and I reckon there’s something else going on here - something other than the ghosts, I mean. Everyone looks well shifty, but I’ve got a lab coat on so I’m blending in. Ooh, found a suspicious door. Better go. See you later.”_

“Not if I see you first,” he murmured automatically, into the ensuing silence. 

He stood up straight. “Right then, TARDIS. Got any more ideas? Could really do with a hint right about now.”

As he circled the console in thought, he nearly tripped over something. He bent down and picked up Rose’s purple t-shirt from the floor. Staring at it for a few moments, he rubbed his thumb and finger against the fabric, willing for inspiration to strike. The last time she’d worn this, the last time she’d _removed_ this, had been just a few days ago, after they’d sat in the TARDIS doorway, legs dangling out, watching a star form. She’d teased him about trying to be romantic, and he’d retaliated by giving her some of his Very Best Moves.

He draped her top over a railing and wandered down the ramp, opening the TARDIS doors, trying to relive the moment where she’d kissed him and told him she was the happiest she’d ever been. He couldn’t help but wish he’d responded better, to that. To those soft, lovely words. He’d just smiled, because the words “Me too,” had somehow got stuck in his throat in the emotion of the moment.

So he had to see her again. Even if it was just to say goodbye, just to tell her - 

Wait. The star formation. He couldn’t harness the energy of a newborn star to keep the crack open, but - a star gone supernova - 

Yes.

v.

Rose came out of her debriefing to find her phone buzzing on her desk: _Voicemail calling._

She picked it up. _You have six new messages._

Rolling her eyes, she braced herself. They’d only been back here a few days, and she’d had to pop into Torchwood without him to inform them about that whole thing with saving the multiverse and the stars coming back blah blah, and she wasn’t really sure how he’d handle being alone in her flat for the first time. 

_Message one:_

_“Rose. I don’t wish to alarm you but your mother has seen fit to take me shopping. Me! Shopping! With your mother! I keep trying to sneak off - I’m currently in a place that professes to sell ‘smoothies,’ but I’ve got a banana and mango one and I can tell you this much: not a good combo, and nowhere near as tasty as the ones we shared on Dex Seven. Regardless, I’m at least having a bit of a reprieve from trying on jeans. Yes. You heard that right: jeans. What’s your opinion on jeans, by the way? You look nice in them but I’m not sure they’d suit me as well as my suits. Ha! Suit, suits - didn’t even mean to do that. Oh bollocks, I can see Jackie. Good luck with your meeting.”_

Rose sat down at her desk and propped her feet up, settling in to listen to the other messages before she called him back. It was comforting, hearing him babble like this. He’d been so quiet, for him, the last couple of days. Bound to be, what with them adjusting to the new life they’d been thrust into, but it had been disconcerting all the same. In these messages, he almost sounded like himself again.

_Message two:_

_“I’m in a changing room. This light isn’t very flattering, but all things considered I suppose these jeans look all right. I will not, however, be wearing them outside of the flat. I have a reputation to uphold, which includes my impeccable sense of fashion: the suits are staying. The jeans, conversely, are solely for your benefit.”_

Rose raised her eyebrows. That was the first time he’d even hinted at flirting with her since they’d been eyeing each other up a bit back on the TARDIS, before being unceremoniously dropped off here by the other Doctor.

_Message three:_

_“To clarify re: my last point. I know you like staring at my bum, don’t even deny it, and these jeans - well, Rose Tyler, if you don’t look at my bum while I’m wearing these then I might as well give up and move to the Antarctic.”_

_Message four:_

_“Not that I could realistically actually move somewhere without you. Just to, you know. Make sure you know that. Yes, Jackie! I’m nearly done! Just a moment! Jesus, on second thoughts, can we move your mother to the Antarctic, please?”_

Rose giggled and shook her head at him, even though he wasn’t there to see it.

_Message five:_

_“She is now making me eat sushi, FYI. I just learnt that, by the way. Not sushi: I’ve always known about that. Unfortunately. Ick. No, I just learnt that FYI means ‘For Your Information’ - a cashier informed me of it. As in, ‘FYI you have to pay for that now you’ve broken it.’ Or, ‘FYI you looked nice in your work clothes this morning, Rose.’ I know you said you’re gonna give up Torchwood to run away with me across the world and everything, but, well, there’s room in our suitcase for that pencil skirt, right? Impractical, I know, especially with what we’ll be getting up to, but really - I mean, FYI - it’s delicious.”_

Rose glanced down at the skirt in question. Impractical - yes, he was right. But she knew it - she _knew_ he’d been sneaking a look this morning! Biting her lip, feeling a bit sexy, she thought perhaps they could put this skirt to good use later, even if half her brain was shouting that it was too soon for all that.

_Message six:_

_“Jackie’s popped to the loo. It just occurred to me that you might not want to hear about my admiration for your skirt just yet. Sorry. I’m just feeling a little overwhelmed at the moment. Getting used to these human senses, and the prospect of a human life, and…all of that. Don’t get me wrong, I’m happy to be in the same universe as you again and I’ll do anything to make this work, but it is a bit daunting, which is probably why I’m saying all this in a voicemail rather than to your face. Sorry about that, too.”_

He went silent, and Rose wondered if that was the end of the message. She swivelled around in her chair, holding her breath in anticipation as she dropped her feet back to the floor.

The Doctor continued, _“The thing is - I mean, FYI - I meant what I said, in Norway. I love you. I love you so much, Rose, and - gah! Jackie, you can’t just sneak up on people like that, get off me - Rose, your mother is hugging me, she’s - oh, now she’s taking the phone - ”_

Her Mum’s voice spoke into her ear, _“Told you, didn’t I? Sappy sod at heart. Bloody typical doing it on the phone, though. I’ll bring him over - see you soon, love.”_

The message stopped, but not before she heard the Doctor in the background saying: _“I can take myself to Rose, I can drive you know - I’m not completely helpless!”_

Rose laughed, and wiped at the corner of her eye where a sneaky tear had escaped. She dropped her phone into her bag and stood, intending to go and find him, but when she turned to her office door he was already there, leaning against the doorframe.

“I made a bit of a fool of myself with all those messages, didn’t I?” he said lightly, rubbing at the back of his neck. He was holding a couple of shopping bags in his free hand, and she walked over to him, taking them from him.

“You didn’t,” she said, linking their hands together. “I loved them. Let’s go home.”

“Yeah?” He sounded unsure, so she looked up at him and gave him a brave smile. 

“Yeah. Dying to see what you look like in these famous jeans.” She waggled the bag at him.

He nodded, then stopped walking, drawing her to a stop too, in the middle of the hallway near the lifts.

“Doctor?”

The Doctor squeezed her hand. “We’re gonna be really happy, Rose. I can feel it.”

Rose tilted her head and kissed him, lingering there for a few moments, her eyes falling closed. “I know,” she whispered against his lips, and smiled, “I know. I can feel it too.”


End file.
